Fixed ammunition for non-recoil guns.



L. Y. SPEAR AND G. C. DAVISON.

FIXED AMMUNITION FOR NON-RECOIL GUNS.

APPLICATION HLED MAYZS, I918.

. Patented July 22, I919.

lllll H! I. Illlllfl- I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR AND GREGORY C. DAVISON, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

FIXED AMMUNITION FOR NON- RECOIL GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed May 25, 1918. Serial No. 236,568.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LAWRENCE Y. SPEAK andGREGORY C. DAvrson, citizens of the United States, residing at NewLondon, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fixed Ammunition for Non-li-ecoil Guns; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame,

Our present invention relates to improvements in fixed ammunitionintended for use with non-recoil guns, that is guns of the general typeshown in the U. S. patent to .Gleland Davis, No. 1,108,716, grantedAuust 25, 1914:, and entitled Apparatus for ring projectiles from aircraft.

This invention is especially intended to provide for certainimprovements on the fixed ammunition shown in the U. S. Patent toCleland Davis, No. 1,108,717, granted August 25, 1914, and entitledFixed ammunition for use on air craft.

Accordin to the invention described in the patent ust referred to therewas a cartridge case in which was mounted at one end the projectile, andat the other end the recoil charge or mass, and between the two thepropelling charge which, when the gun was fired, propelled theprojectile in one direction and the recoil mass in the other direction,and this recoil mass, being made of disintegratable material, such asbirdshot, sand or the like, separated into fine particles after leavingthe rear end of the bore of the gun, while the projectile moved forwardin its flight.

With this arrangement, however, there was a metallic cartridge case leftin the bore of the gun which had to be removed before the gun could bere-loaded, and while this removal would in any event require a certainamount of time, if the cartridge case jammed in the gun, it mightseriously delay the operation of the gun.

In order to obviate the'necessity for the removal of the cartridge caseincident to the operation of opening the breech, and in order to preventthe sticking of the cartridge case in the chamber of the gun, we havearranged that the cartridge case and the recoil mass shall be a unitarystructure which is expelled from the open rear end ofthe barrel of thegun by the pressure of the saving of weight is of the utmost im-.

portance, we have also provided means for the saving of weightequivalent to that of the cartridge case previously used. We accomplishthis by making the case herein described serve a two-fold purpose,namely, first as a container for the powder and second as an inertiamass.

We also provide means whereby the cartridge case in its rearward travelthrough the gun balances all friction forces imparted by the forwardmoving projectile. This friction force is caused principally by frictionof the rifling band onthe projectile, acting in the rifling grooves. Byrifling the rear barrel and by placing a corresponding rifling band onthe cartridge case, these forces are exactly balanced, both with respectto rotational forces tending to twist the gun and. also longitudinalforces tending to tear the gun apart'longitudinally.

Our invention will be more fully understood after reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similarreference symbols throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the powder chamber of thegun body and adjacent parts, the projectile being shown in elevation andthe firing pin being shown diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 shows a section on a larger scale through the cartridge case, theprojectile being shown in elevation and parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an end view as seen from the left of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 1 and 5 show sections through the cartridge case along the lines4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 2, and show the openings in thecartridge case to permit the escape of the products of combustion intothe space between the cartridge case and the inner wall of the powderchamber.

A represents the forward barrel of the gun which is provided with asuitable powder chamber a, a compression slope a and rifling a. Thisforward barrel A is connected in any convenient way, as by means of thescrew-threaded connection 6 shown in the Patent No. 1,108,716 abovereferred to, to. the rear barrel B which is rified, as at in the samedirection as the barrel A, thus causing the case and projectile torotate in opposite directions, as their travel is in oppositedirections.

The two barrels are connected together and the gun loaded, as describedin the Patent No. 1,108,? 16 already referred to, or in any otherconvenient way, and such details will not be further referred to hereinas this application is primarily intended to cover the particularconstruction of fixed annnunition, which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed. I

C represents the projectile which is provided with the usual ritliinband 0 adapted to engage the rifiing (L The projectile is shown as ofthe type illustrated and described in the application of A. J. Stone,Serial No. 178378, filed July 3, 1917, and entitled Projectiles for useagainst submarines and submer ed mines, but any preferred shape of proectile may be used as desired.

D represents the firing pin carried by the gun, and operated by thefiring mechanism which, not being a part of our present invention, willnot be further described herein. E represents the cartridge case whichis of substantially cylindrical form adapted to fit into the powderchamber of the gun, and is provided with a series of ribs which may beannular as shown, projecting beyond the normal surface 6' of thecylinder to form an air space between said normal surface and thecontiguous walls of the bore.

7 This cartridge case is provided with a number of perforations 6 topermit the escape of the powder gases from the interior of the cartridgecase to the annular space between the cartridge case and the bore of thegun.

At the rear end of the cartridge case the base plu E is inserted, whichmay be connecte to the cartridge case as by means of the screw threads 6and the parts should be securely locked together as by brazing, orotherwise. This baseplug is provided with a rifiing band 6 adapted toengage the rifling b on the rear barrel of the gun, and it is alsopreferably provided with a guide lug F which may be made of copper, orother soft metal, adapted to engage in the guide grooves 19 and e in therear and front ends of the barrel respectively. This guide lug beingmade of soft metal is readily compressed'in the proper position andguides the cartridge in the gun barrel so that the primer G will alwaysbe opposite the firing pin D, when the gun is loaded.

While this particular construction has been minutely described, it isevident that the case could be built from a solid forg-' ing Without theuse of a screw plug, and

firing pin 1) when the gun has been loaded and the breech is closed.

The gun now being fired, the projectile will fly forward, its rifiingband engaging the rifiing a of the gun barrel, while at the same timethe cartridge case will fly rearward, its rifiing band a engaging therilling 1; on the rear barrel, thus neutralizing any twisting efl'ectoccasioned by the rotation of the projectile about its axis as it leavesthe gun, and also neutralizing longitudinal friction forces.

As the powder charge H is consumed, the powder gases will not only tendto propel the projectile forward, and the cartridge case rearward, butwill also pass through the holes 2 in the cartridge case, tending tocreate a balance of pressure outside of the cartridge case to thatinside of the same, and thus preventing the cartridge case fromexpanding and sticking in the powder chamber of the gun.

Thus it will be seen that the cartridge case serves not only as a holderfor the propelling charge, but also serves as a counterweight whichneutralizes any tendency of the gun to move longitudinally in eitherdirection when the gun is fired.

Furthermore, by having this cartridge case perforated, as shown ate,there is very little, if any, tendency of the same to stick in the boreof the gun when the gun is fired and consequently the same is expelledrearwardly at the same time that the projectile is expelled forward.

In the design shown, the weight of the cartrid e case E, with its baseplug E, might )e substantially the same as the weight of the projectile,not including, of course, the weight of the powder charge; but ifdesired the weight of the cartridge case and parts carried thereby maybe varied to suit variations in the relative lengths of front and rearbarrels.

This same general form of cartridge case could also be used in thatclass of non-recoil guns where the frontbarrel is rifled and the tionsmight be made in the herein described apparatus, and in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be usedwithout departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is 1. Fixed ammunition for use ina rifled non-recoil gun having its bore open both at the breech and themuzzle, comprising a cartridge case, of a weight approximately equal tothat of the projectile, said cartridge case having its rear end normallyclosed and its front end closed by the projectile and said cartridgecase and said projectile both being provided with rifling bands, with apropelling charge contained in said cartridge case between said closedend and said projectile, said case thus serving a two-fold purpose ofacting as a container for the powder charge and also as a recoil mass tobalance the inertia and friction of the projectile.

2. Fixed ammunition for use in a gun having its bore open both at thebreech and the muzzle, comprising a cartridge case having its rear endclosed by a heavy metal plug, and its front end closed by theprojectlle, with a propelling charge contained in said cartridge casebetween said plu and said projectile, the said cartrid e case beingprovided with a series of ribs a apted to engage the bore of the gunwith perforated reduced portions extending between said ribs,substantially as described.

8. Fixed ammunition for use in a rifled non-recoil gun having its boreopen both at the breech and the muzzle, cartridge case having its rearend closed, and its front end normally closed by the projectile and saidcartridge case and said r0- jectile both being provided with ri inbands, with a propelling charge contained in said cartridge case, thesaid cartridge case being provided with a primer projecting radiallythrough the side thereof, and the said base plug being provided with aguide lug adapted to engage a ide groove on the gun and to cause theprimer to register with the firing mechanism of the gun when the gun isloaded.

4. Fixed ammunitionfor use in a rifled gun having its bore open both atthe breech and the muzzle, and the rifling in the rear portion of thegun being similarly disposed to that in the forward portion of the gun,comprising a cartridge case having its rear end closed by a heavy baseplug, and its front end closed by the projectile, both base plug andprojectile being provided with rifling bands adapted to engage saidrifling, with a propelling charge contained in said cartridge casebetween said projectile, substantially as described.

comprising a closed by 'tween said ribs, and

plug and said 5. Fixed ammunition for use in a gun having its bore openboth at the breech and the muzzle, comprising a cartridge case havingits rear end closed by a heavy ngztal plug, and its front end closed bythe projectile, with a propelling charge contained in said cartridgecase between said plug and said projectile, the said cartridge casebeing provided with a series of annular ribs adapted to engage the boreof the gun, said ribs being tapered longitudinally. with perforatedreduced portions (KXlQlltiliig' between said ribs, substantially asdescribed.

(3. Fixed ammunition for use in a gun having its bore open both at thebreech and the muzzle, comprising a cartridge case having its rear endclosed by a base plug, and its front end closed by the projectile andsaid cartridge case and said projertile both being provided with rillingbands, with u propelling charge contained in said cartridge case betweensaid plug and said projectile, the said cartridge case being providedwith a primer projecting through the side thereof, and the said baseplug being provided with a guide lug adapted to engage a guide'groove onthe gun and to cause the primer to register with the firing mechanism ofthe gun when the gun is loaded.

7. Fixed annnunition for use in a rifled non-recoil gun having its boreopen both at the breech and the muzzle, comprising a cartridge caseclosed at its rear end, and the projectile normally held in the frontend thereof and said cartridge case and said projectile both beingprovided with ril'ling bands, with a propelling charge contained in saidcartridge case, the said cartridge case being provided with a primerprojecting through the side thereof, and the said cartridge case beingprovided with a guide lug adapted to engage a guide groove on the gunand to cause the primer to register with the firing mechanism of the gunwhen the gun is loaded, substantially as described.

8. Fixed ammunition for use in a rifled gun having its bore open both atthe breech and the muzzle, and the rifling in the rear portion of thegun being similarly disposed to that in the forward portion of the. gun,comprising a cartridge case having its rear end closed by a base plug,and its front end the projectile, both base plug and projectile beingprovided with rifling bands adapted to engage said rifling, the saidcartridge case being provided with ribs ada ted to engage the walls ofthe bore of the gun, with perforated reduced portions bea propellingcharge contained in said cartridge case between said plug and saidprojectile, substantially as described.

9. Fixed ammunition for use in a gun having its bore open both at thebreech and the muzzle, comprising a cartridge case having its rear endclosed by a base plug, and its front end closed by the projectile, witha propelling charge contained in said cartridge case between said plugand said projectile, the said cartridge case being provided with ribsadapted to engage the walls of the bore of the gun, with perforatedreduced portions between said ribs, said cartridge case being alsoprovided with a 19 primer pro ect1ng through one side thereof,

and the said base plug being provided with aguide lug adapted to engagea guide groove. on the gun and to cause the primer to register with thefiring mechanism of the gun when the gun is loaded, substantially as 15described.

In testimony whereof, We affix our signatures.

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR. GREGORY C. DAVISON.

